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Not everything 'Apple' costs more than the UK deficit....

Firstly, I am going to tell you that I am not an owner of any 'i' products, never have been, never will be. Mainly due to the fact that I believe that they are overpriced and really on the fact that many people feel the need to have to have certain things regardless of the fact that there are many products out there that offer the same things for a lot less money.Right, so I've got that bit off my chest. Now I'm guessing that you're wondering why I am about to write something in the 'i' range even though I don't own 'i' products.Well, let me tell you that, firstly, this certain thing that I am writing about was a Christmas gift from a friend and secondly, I would not really say that it is an 'i' product, even if the name suggests so.Are you confused? Well, so am I. But allow me to explain.The product that I am talking about is something that in the trade is called an iplunger, which in itself suggest it's part of the 'i' range but as most items in the 'i' range are solely for the purpose of the 'i' products then this one is very different in that respect as it can be used on other products too...Are you still confused? Me too.I'll carry on regardless.

* What does this iplunger look like..?It's nothing special, looking more like the tiniest of toilet plungers that you might see in a very small plumbers kit bag. The plunger at the bottom is made of a rubber material and it's only a mere 33mm in diameter, with the height of the entire thing being no more than 44mm, with 25mm of that being the wooden rod that attaches to the rubber plunger itself. And that's what this look like... simple.Although there is the colouring of the rubber though, with the one I have being blue. But it does come in a variety of colours from green, red, black, orange... you get the picture...!!!

For some reason I feel I have to mention the box that this came in, although it's not the box that you're interested in really. It's the iplunger you want.Allow me to explain. When I first got it it came inside a clear plastic casing which had the box on the bottom of the casing and the iplunger sitting on top of the box, sort of in a display type situation. Yes, the iplunger was on display inside the plastic casing sitting on top of its own box.So when I took it out of the display casing I was left with the iplunger and the box, which, when I opened the little box, which in itself is only 45mm cubed (45x45x45), there is more of the plastic casing material, only this piece has a little knobble in the centre which the iplunger sits on top of when you're not using it.The box has is well designed, although you're not really going to be interested in the box really are you? So I'll just say that on the front is an image of the iplunger in use, holding up someone's iphone, and on the rear of the box there is a set of easy to read and simple to understand instruction of how you use this iplunger.And to cover them selves, the manufacturers clearly state the you don't get an iphone with this iplunger even it the image on the front of the box may indicate other wise.

* So what is this iplunger used for..?I think you can guess from the constant mention of the letter 'i' that this is something to do with 'Apple' and their constant need to force people to buy silly things for their overpriced iphone products...(I'm not a fan of iphones, or anything that cost more money than it should do just because it has a logo on the side).Anyway, it's a product that is supposed to be used for and iphone in order to help it sit up on a surface so that you can have you iphone at a certain tilting angle in order for you to see the screen th eway you want it without having to hold the phone.And it does actually do exactly what it is designed to do.

* And how do you use it..?If you follow the instructions that are clearly written in plain English on the back of the box then you can't go wrong.Simple put, you take the plunger, lick the rubber sucker section, then gently push the moist iplunger onto the back of you iphone, or, if you're like me, your Samsung, or any phone really that has a smooth back so that the sucker will grip onto it.And that's how to use the iplunger. As long as the back of you phone is smooth and clean from grease then this iplunger will get a grip using that good old vacuum effect

Once it's in place, stuck to the back of your phone, you can then simply place you phone on a flat surface and the iplunger will act like a little rest so that you can have your phone at a nice angle to see the screen.

There is a rather larger image on the rear of the box. Although when I say large I really mean larger considering the size of the box. But this image is of a badly drawn babies head in a circle with a line going through it, with the numbers '0' - '3' on the other side of the line. I'm guessing that this means that this is not suitable for babies aged under 3 months, (or is it years?), of age as they could swallow it accidentally, and then how would you keep you iphone at just the right angle to watch that 'chick-flick'? only kidding. I really mean that the last thing you want is for a baby to swallow this as there's a high chance of the rubber blocking the airway.

* What do I think of this iplunger..?It's a nice little gift to get from a friend. You know the old saying, "It's the thought that counts"...? well, the thought in this one was there. No offence.Anyway. As I don't use 'i' products I was a little confused when I opened the wrapping and saw this iplunger staring up at me from inside its clear display case. But after I'd taken it out and glanced over how and what it was used for I remember smiling to myself, thinking of how such a simple idea has probably made someone somewhere a large sum of money. Regardless of my jealousy of not coming up with this idea first, I tested this out on my phone, even though it is not an iphone, it's a Samsung, (and I'm proud of it as it has been a loyal and trusted phone for a while now. Being there all the time, never letting me down, reminding me of what I have to do and when I have to do it by. Telling me that I've missed calls, keeping me informed of what's going on and surviving drops where other phones, including iphones, would have fallen apart).And I was quite surprised in how nicely this actually worked, although as my phone has a bit of a 'rough' back panel, not smooth, then this iplunger can lose the all important vacuum effect that it needs in order to keep it grip. But if I press it on with a little bit more pressure it manages to cling on longer than Gordon Brown did at Number 10.

To be honest, I don't really use this that often, once I'd got over the initial 'silliness' of it when I first got it, but I have used it a few times since Christmas and when I have plunged it to my phone it has stayed where it is supposed to, most of the time anyway. Be that in a portrait manner or a landscape manner, although with my phone the portrait manner is the hardest manner for the iplunger to stay put on as the angle on the back of my phone stops the sucker from going where it would be best for that perfect angle. But a slice upwards of mm's and I'm away, so it's not really a major issue at all.

The rubber sucker is strong enough to grip on tight so that the angle of your phone stays constant. It's even strong enough to stick to your forehead if you want to pretend you're a very tiny, and not so scary Dalek.... Or is that just something I've done?

* How much then..?I had to look up the price for this as this was a Christmas gift to me from a friend. But the price for the iplunger is about £5, give or take, although as the box on this one clearly states that it was made for Primark, I'm guessing that this one is not really an original iplunger, so to speak, but it does the same job regardless.

* Is it worth the money..?No, not really. I could think of many other things to spend your five pounds on.Don't get me wrong, it is a nice idea and does what it is supposed to do, but for a fiver you're paying way over the top.If it was on sale in the local pound-plus then that would be more like it as, to be honest, it looks like it cost about 20p to make it in the first place.So, if you can get a similar style one in your pound-plus, and have a smart phone, or even a tablet, with a smooth flat back then this is a nice thing to get hold of.But if you see one for more than a pound then do yourself a favour and just put you phone on a small cushion in order to watch that movie with out having to hold the thing for 90 minutes or so. In fact, the fiver you save on buying this could get you a months subscription at one of those online DVD/movie rental places that are advertising all the time, (you know the ones I am talking about..?)

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Something you never knew you needed!

Now, you may think that this is a very strange looking gadget indeed, so did I when I first saw it.

I bought this little iplunger from Primark a year ago for 2.99, not sure if they still do them as I haven't been in a Primark since but as I gather, this is one of the cheapest prices for this iplunger.

I keep mine on my desk at work and it often gets comments from people asking what it is for or picking it up to play with. I tend to fiddle with it when I am on the phone to a customer, often absent mindedly sticking it to my forehead to the amusement of my colleagues.

The intention of this item is that it sucks like a plunger to the back of your phone, turning into a stand for your mobile so you can watch tv etc. I've found it doesn't work as well with the phone upright as it finds it hard to take the weight but it works well with the phone on it's side and displays the screen at a good angle.

I haven't seen these for the iPad but if they made one I'd be tempted to get it as I like the novelty and the function of the item. I've had it over a year now and it shows no signs of wear so I have definitely had my three pounds worth out of it.

Overall I would recommend this, it's a fun little item that lives on my desk until I need to use it, I now await the iPad version!

Thanks for reading.

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A very clever little gadget that is so simple yet handy

MINI PLUNGER

This rather strange little item was sitting by our computer for some time and eventually I asked around and discovered it belonged to my step son. I asked him what mini toilet he had that needed plunging and he roared with laughter and gave me a demo as to how it worked.

ITS CORRECT USEHe showed me that it stuck by suction on the back of his iphone and then he could watch videos or whatever without holding his iphone. Okay I thought, why? Can't you just hold the phone after all it isn't exactly heavy is it? Well since then as it has been lying around I have used it several times and find it is actually very handy.

I don't watch stuff on my phone much but at breakfast when my husband is enjoying his cricket magazine I look around and find my book is upstairs beside my bed and then pick up my phone and strat playing around with things to watch.

I used to just lie the phone flat on the table but it s never quite at the right angle and so I picked up Sam's little plunger and now I am hooked. It is just such a very simple idea and it means you can watch things with the gadget at just the right angle. You can place it where ever you like on the back so the gadget is vertical or horizontal and depending on where you put the plunger means that the phone I at a steep angle or a less steep one.

ONE OF THOSE THINGS YOU NEVER NEEDED UNTIL YOU HAD ITI really would NEVER have bought one before I had used my step sons as I wouldn't have thought I had a need for one. Since he has left it lying around I have used it several times and might even go and buy myself one if he does decide to remove it from the kitchen/TV stand/dining room or where ever else he leaves it that I find it.

My son has been staying for a couple of weeks from Canada and he spends quite a long time watching documentary videos and as there are so many of us in the house he takes his iphone and watches them in another room so he doesn't disturb others using the laptop.computer.TV or whatever else they are plugged in to.

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?It does indeed look exactly like a mini toilet plunger with a wooden handle and a rubbery plungey part. The rubber part comes in red or black nut my step son's is red. The plunger part sticks by suction to the back of the gadget and then the wooden part holds it at an angle. To give you the exact sizes - it is 4.8 x 11.4cm.

SIMPLE BUT IT WORKSIt is deceptively simple and had I not been told what it was for and had a demonstration as to how it worked I probably would never have bought it. It looks like the kind of thing you get as a stocking gift that gets thrown away by the end of January but in fact it is far more useful that I would ever have thought.It can not only be used a stand to watch things on the gadget but it can also be used as a mini tripod sort of stand to take photos if you want to have a way of holding the iphone a bit more still than usual.

Another really handy use for it is when you are 'skype'ing or using another video call on the phone as it leaves your hands free and means you can be more comfortable than sitting holding the phone which can get quite hot after some time.

OTHER USES?It is sold as for an iphone but obviously it could be used with other gadgets that are small that you might want to watch videos on or it can also be used for mp3 players to give a better sound especially if not being used with good speakers.

It ranges in price from around £3.99 to around £7 in M&S so shop around especially as the sales are on now.

It is a great little gadget simple and efficient but not life changing. You can live without it but when you have one it does so much so very simply and isn't really that expensive. I imagine my step son's will get lost in his pit of a room as it is quite small which is probably why he leaves it down stairs. Oh well, handy for me I guess!

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Good novelty gift

~Technical Info~

Mini stand for iPhone and iPodsCan be used with other handheld devicesWorks horizontally and verticallyAvailable in red or black

~Review~

I was bought this stand as a gift which is probably a good thing because I don't think I would have bought it for myself. It is only about £3 but I haven't used it that much. That said it is very useful for watching videos or TV on your iPhone or other devices. The plunger is also good when you are listening to music. Place it horizontally on the iPhone and you can view the album covers as you listen. However it isn't that great using it when you have to press any buttons because it does move about quite a bit.

It is very easy to install! Just press it on to the back of your device and it is ready to use. It's a very clever little design and does look very good. It is available in black or red but I think the red one stands out a bit better. Because it is small it is easily misplaced and not used for quite a while.

This is quite a clever gift and is a nice little novelty item. As a present it is nice to receive as long as it's not your main Christmas present!

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It's great to use on your phone.. but don't expect to use it to unblock any sinks!

---Setting the scene---

You want to watch something on your phone - if it was a minute or two long that would be no problem. But say you want to watch an episode of something longer.Not a problem you think, i've got my trusty phone.. it enables me to kill some time when it is much needed. So it's all set up, BBC iplayer at the ready (other methods of watching tv are available) your phone is placed on the table watching whatever show it is whilst you're eating your bowl of cereal for breakfast, (sure there's the actual television - but i'm not a fan of daytime television chat shows) yet being placed on the table whilst you're munching away you cant see the phones screen clearly to watch tv whilst it's placed flat.Great, viewing experience not going so well.. you try placing the phone against the tv's remote control or box of tissues so it has something to lean against and you carry on watching television.... when the phone falls flat and screen first. Not a great sign. Is watching a bit of tv whilst eating really worth the effort? The cereals going soggy whilst you're fiddling around trying to get the phone stood upright to catch up on tv and eat at the same time.. clearly a multi-tasking fail!Nevermind. Guess daytime telly will have to do.

---A product you didn't think you needed until you saw it appears---

I saw this iplunger mini stand in Marks and Spencers during the Christmas season priced at £7 in the gift section and although it was not something I would have thought of buying, due to the failed attempt to watch tv on my phone only a few days before fresh in my mind, I decided to purchase it.

---What is an iplunger---

It's a mini plunger made specifically for iphone/ipods to enable you to have a little stand on the back of your phone.

---First impressions are not always true---

When looking at the iplunger I didn't think much of it, it's a small little thing.. doesn't look like it would stick for long.. I thought it's probably a little novelty thing that won't even work well. But I still decided to buy it as I hadn't actually come across any other stands or anything that would let the iphone be stood up.

---Using the iplunger---

Using the plunger is easy, you just press it against the back of the iphone and that's it. You can place the iphone horizontal or vertical which is really useful as there is no restrictions and it actually stays stuck on perfectly until you take it off again. A great little item that did the job I needed it to and allows you to watch tv comfortably rather than fiddling around! It can also be used to take steady pictures and is especially handy when using video calling on the iphone.The plunger is red and made from wood and rubber. It is 4.8 x 11.4cm.It comes packaged in a clear plastic box so you can see the plunger.

Although advertised for use with iphones/ipods it can also be used with other products such as mp3 players and cameras etc.It can be bought online from websites such as Iwantoneofthose.com for £5.99.It's actually a handly little product that has been used many times since bought.. it doesn't look like it will do much but it does the job it's required to do without any problems and it is well made (I had images of the wood handle pulling off in my head, but it is actually ok to use). Although currently priced at £6 it does look like something you could get cheaper for the simplicity of the product but it's currently the only stand I have come across to use. You can buy iphone covers with stands but I have seen some priced over £20 and really did not think they were worth the money. Therefore this little iplunger does fine and so I give it 5/5 stars.

I can now watch tv easily in the mornings without my cereal going soggy or breakfast going cold whilst i'm trying to keep the phone stood upright to see the screen clearly.The products clearly not a necessity but can come in useful at times.Overall I think It's great to use on your phone.. but don't expect to use it to unblock any sinks!